1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for making insulation. In another aspect this invention relates to a method and apparatus for making V-groove insulation. In yet another respect this invention relates to a method and apparatus for making tank pipe wrap.
2. Description of the Related Art
The increasing cost of energy has made it even more imperative that commercial and industrial applications be properly insulated to increase energy efficiency. Such applications include high temperature processes in which insulation is used to prevent energy loss to ambient surroundings. Such applications also include low temperature processes in which insulation is utilized to prevent energy gain to the system from ambient surroundings. Generally, insulation is applied to the exterior of piping, ductwork, tanks, reactors and other areas in which insulation is desired. Although a wide variety of insulation may be applied in a variety of methods, depending upon the desired insulating effect required for a given application, the two most common types of insulation are spray-on insulation and preformed insulation.
Spray-on insulation, is as the name implies, insulation that is sprayed on to the area to be insulated. However, spray-on insulation is recognized to have several disadvantages. Unless care is taken during the application, spray-on insulation may not be evenly applied to the area to be insulated, or if adequately applied, may not evenly adhere or bond to the area being insulated. Improper application, or improper bonding will create "hot" or "cold" spots. Since spray-on insulation hardens, sets-up, or cures after application, such spray-on insulation does not allow for ready access to the insulated member, thus hampering inspection and/or repairs. Spray-on insulation is also known to trap liquids, which if the liquids are salt-bearing or corrosive, may result in the eventual deterioration of the insulation and/or the insulated member. The application of spray-on insulation material is also very sensitive to local environmental conditions. Successful application must generally be performed within rigid wind, temperature and humidity parameters. Another complaint about spray-on insulation is that it is messy in application, and is often considered aesthetically unappealing.
Disadvantages associated with preformed insulation include high cost to individually form or mold a given insulation section to its intended application around the insulated member. For a given length and diameter pipe, duct or tank, a specific dimension insulation section must be formed, and this process is often expensive in terms of time and energy. Preformed insulation sections are also expensive from the standpoint of both shipment and storage, because the items generally have a hollow cavity inside which requires a great deal of space to ship or store, than would, for example, flat boards. Due to the vast array of sizes of pipe, it is generally required that a manufacturer or supplier have many various sizes on hand. Further, preformed sections are not easily adapted to applications other than the shape for which it was made, and often poorly fit even their original intended application due to manufacturing tolerances.
As a result of these and other disadvantages, other contemporary insulation systems have evolved which utilize either V-groove insulation or tank/pipe wrap insulation.
V-groove insulation is a flat section of insulation which has been notched or grooved to accommodate a given diameter circular pipe or duct. FIG. 5(a) shows a pipe 400 partially wrapped with V-groove insulation 440, having a multiplicity of V-grooves 450. V-groove insulation is generally necessary for small diameter pipes and tanks (i.e. less than about 36 inches) because of the extreme bending that the insulation is subjected to. In addition to fitting around cylindrical shapes, V-groove insulation can be made to fit around other shapes such as square, hexagon, octagon, rectangular as well as other shapes.
Tank wrap, known in the industry as lamilla, comprises pliable sheets of insulation that are wrapped around the pipe, tank or other item to be insulated. FIG. 5(b) shows a pipe 400 partially wrapped with tank wrap 410. Tank wrap generally has utility with larger diameter tanks and pipes (i.e. greater than about 36 inches). With smaller diameters, V-grooves are generally required to help the insulation material bend properly.
V-groove insulation and tank wrap is wrapped around a pipe, tank or other item to be insulated and held in place by a fastener such as an appropriately sized band or jacket. When access to the insulated item is required, the band or jacket is released and the V-groove insulation or tank wrap may be easily and quickly removed. Because V-groove insulation and tank wrap are simply boards that are then wrapped around the item to be insulated, they can be stored or shipped with efficient use of storage or shipping space. The boards of V-groove insulation or tank wrap may be easily fabricated to a multiplicity of sizes by merely cutting the board to the proper desired length. Thus, the boards are easily and quickly adapted to other sizes.
However, tank wrap is generally made from fibrous sections such as mineral wool or fiberglass in which the fibers are generally oriented in the lengthwise direction. FIG. 6(a) is a depiction of such sections that have been abutted end-to-end to be used as tank wrap. As shown, tank wrap 410 has fibers 430 generally oriented lengthwise in the tank wrap. However, such tank wrap suffers from a lack of compressive strength and is prone to collapsing radially inward toward the pipe, thus reducing insulating ability of the tank wrap. If the fibers were oriented radially from the pipe, the tank wrap would have greater compressive strength. FIG. 6(b) shows tank wrap 410 having fibers 420 that will be oriented generally radially from the pipe once it is wrapped around a pipe. U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,968 issued Jul. 13, 1989 to Nelson, et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,202 which is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,968 and which issued Sep. 4, 1990 to Price, et al, both disclose a method and apparatus for making V-groove insulation.
However, neither U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,968 nor U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,202 disclose or suggest an apparatus or method for making tank wrap. Further, the V-groove apparatus of the above patents are limited to cutting isosceles V-grooves, are limited in that they require two saws to make V-grooves, and the carriage below the saw blades, limits the size of blade than can be utilized, thus limiting the thickness of board than can be processed.
Therefore, a need exists for an apparatus and method for making tank wrap, and for making V-groove insulation without the prior art limitations.